December 4, 1992
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) retired the last of the 6000-series cars that had served the rapid transit system for that city and some of the surrounding suburbs for 42 years. “Best remembered for their green bodies and white tops, these were the first truly modern cars of the post-World War II era, and the newest major addition to rapid transit rolling stock in almost 30 years,” announced a flyer that was handed out by CTA on that Friday when the last of these active cars made their final runs.
This series of cars made their debut not all that long after CTA was established on October 1, 1947, to take over the assets and operations of both the Chicago Rapid Transit Company, which had been responsible for the transit system popularly known as the ‘L’ (a shorthand way of referencing the many segments of that rail network that are elevated); and the Chicago Surface Lines streetcar system.
In modernizing one of the country’s oldest, largest, and busiest rail mass transit systems, CTA sought to obtain state-of-the-art steel cars that utilized the latest all-electric traction technology and could help further reduce the aging fleet of wooden cars that had been around since the turn of the century. CTA consequently ordered the first 130 cars of the new 6000-series from the St. Louis Car Company and delivery of those cars for use started in 1950. Another 70 of these cars arrived the following year, with a total of 720 ultimately built and operated over time.
The key features of the 6000 series included dual-paneled doors built on the sides of the cars rather than at the ends to allow for more efficient movement of passengers getting on board and disembarking. A few of these cars can still be seen at locations such as the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois; the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin, Illinois; and the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Nearly 17 years after the remaining 6000-series cars were retired from regular service, a few of them were briefly brought back into operation on October 1, 2019, to help commemorate CTA’s 72nd anniversary. “A Ride Back in Time,” proclaimed a headline about these cars in the next day’s edition of the Chicago Tribune.
David Sedowski, a Chicago transit historian, likewise reported on this return appearance of the cars in the Windy City. “I was asked what was so special about the 6000-series cars,” he noted in his blog titled The Trolley Dodger. “They were state of the art when new, and had advanced technology for their time, including improved acceleration and braking, and were quieter than what they replaced, even though the old stuff made ‘all the right noises.’ (The older 4000-series cars have a very distinctive sound, which many people find pleasant and comes from the gearing.)”
Sedowski further stated, “They had comfortable seats, especially compared to some of today’s equipment, but one thing they did not have was air conditioning. You had to open the windows, and if the weather was right, a nice refreshing breeze wafted through. A trip through the subway, however, was very LOUD with the windows open, an experience that thankfully modern riders don’t get to have.” Sedowski went on to assert, though, “The 6000s were always my favorite ‘L’ cars, and riding them once again brought back many memories.”
Photo Credit: Public Domain
For more information on the Chicago Transit Authority’s 6000-series rail cars, please check out https://www.chicago-l.org/trains/roster/6000.html and https://www.transitchicago.com/heritagefleet/#6000s
Transportation History 
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